ACUHO-I News Blog

Hello, and welcome to a new week! This week, Inside HigherEd marks the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its subsequent destruction with two stories; one discusses how rebuilding involves more than construction and the other talks about what happens when the worst financial crisis in decades hits right after Katrina. A literal, then a financial storm can do a number on an institution. Read about these issues and others at Inside HigherEd.

IN KATRINA’S SHADOW: Five years after storm, New Orleans colleges work to rebuild enrollment, faculty and — in some cases — trust.

A RECOVERY AT RISK: Delgado Community College has finally passed its pre-Katrina enrollment levels — only to face massive budget cuts that could reverse the progress.

BLINDING TECHNOLOGY OF ONLINE LEARNING: Will digital education face legal scrutiny for shutting out blind students?

3 MILLION AND COUNTING: As policy debate rages about for-profit colleges’ value, their enrollments continue to soar, nearing 12 percent of all students.

YOU’VE BEEN PRE-APPROVED: New project aims to track down students who have enough credit to earn associate degree but, for whatever reason, never were awarded one.

Good morning! On Inside HigherEd today, Retention with smartphones; major happiness in and out of college and “Politics or Civility?” (Are these necessarily mutually exclusive? That’s a pity.)

POLITICS OR CIVILITY? New sociology research suggests that nonpolitical campus characteristics may influence whether conservative students thrive with or feel intimidated by faculty at overwhelmingly liberal institutions.

WHO’S ON FIRST? U.S. investigates gender equity complaint that conference policy of having women’s basketball teams always play first in doubleheaders make them seem like “warm-up” act for men.

THE SATISFACTION GAP: Sociologists consider why their graduates appreciate the major in college, but don’t when they are a few years out.

TAKE ME AWAY, COUNTRY ROADS: West Virginia’s universities offer a case study in internationalizing largely from scratch.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Georgia Gwinnett has boosted retention by giving its faculty smartphones and encouraging students to call them.

Semi trucks! Volunteer moving teams! Interior design for dorms! Organized chaos!

For housing departments at colleges and universities across the country, the next couple of weeks mean the stress and strain of new and returning students moving in on campus. They’re bringing with them anxious families, increased traffic, and all the comforts of home (and maybe a semi truck or two). Here’s a round-up of campus move-in news from around the nation:

The ABCs of Moving the Kids to College : From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, common (and not-so-common) mistakes parents make as they help their kids with the big move.

Vanderbilt Students Return to Campus Aug. 21, Move-In Goes Green: How one university is attempting to reduce the environmental impact of move-in day, one cardboard box at a time.

Residence Hall Move-In Starts Sunday: At Texas A&M, Residence Life has designated August 22 as “Residence Hall Move-In Assistance Day,” with teams of move-in volunteers there to assist and welcome new and returning students.

New Vaccine Requirement for Incoming College Students: A new Texas-wide state law addresses the dangers of bacterial meningitis. Though it went into effect January 1, the incoming freshman class moving in this fall will put it to the test.

Dorm-It-Yourself: In the video below, a student from Ryerson University School of Interior Design  gives tips and tricks for sprucing up a student residence (on a student budget!)

How about you, members? Any crazy stories, interesting initiatives or new tricks you’ve discovered this move-in season?

Greetings, blog readers! Today, Inside HigherEd looks at the potential for sexual orientation questions on the Common Application and gay and lesbian college presidents form their own organization…among other news, of course.

HUNGRY FOR JOBS: Do law schools need a hunger strike to push them to be more forthright with would-be students about the tight employment market?

BETTOR GRADES: A new company offers cash payouts to students who wager that they will earn uncharacteristically good marks, but some academic officials worry about the unintended consequences.

ASKING MORE THAN MALE OR FEMALE: Common Application considers adding voluntary questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.

HAS THE CONVERSATION CHANGED? Did a brutal week for for-profit colleges alter the political landscape for the sector?

OUT PRESIDENTS: Gay and lesbian college leaders gather for first time — and form a new organization for professional development and advocacy:

Happy Monday, blog readers! I’m sorry the news is late today, but you know what they say about late vs. never? Hopefully it’s true, too.

CONGRESS’S ‘SECRET SHOPPER’: Government Accountability Office uncovers fraud and deception in for-profit colleges’ recruiting practices.

PRIVATIZED PATHWAYS FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS: Universities increasingly turn to for-profit companies to offer comprehensive first-year programs — including academic courses — to students from abroad.

WASHED UP: Google Wave was supposed to be the most revolutionary Web 2.0 tool yet for higher ed. This week, Google pulled the plug. What happened?

CALIFORNIA DREAMER: Christopher Edley has a vision for bringing an elite university into the world of online bachelor’s degrees. Is he building a new financial base or putting the faculty role at risk?

NCAA GRADES COACHES: Organization now tracking how well teams’ athletes perform in classroom under specific leaders.

Well, not really. However, August and September are the months in which the student housing profession appears regularly in the news. It would be nice if housing pros could feel the warm glow of attention, but unfortunately, the press coverage coincides with one of the busiest times of year. So here’s a quick rundown of what’s been in the news lately. Read–or skim–as you have time.

“Variations on a Theme,” Joanna Nikas. New York Times, July 2010.
A photo essay on unusual theme houses at colleges and universities.

“Earned Housing,” New York Times, July 2010.
Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, assigns upperclass student housing based on students’ behavior the previous year. Students with the best behavior, campus involvement and GPAs choose first. This photo essay documents the process.

“Failure to Communicate,” Abigail Sullivan Moore, July 15, 2010.
Roommates have long been forced to work out conflicts of interests and schedules. But housing officials feel students are less willing, or able, to work out problems themselves. Students are more likely to text each other rather than talk; more likely to text other people than each other, or they lean on their parents or R.A. to resolve relatively simple conflicts. There’s an accompanying blog post at the Learning Network, the NYT education blog.

“Overbooked, University Struggles to Find Room,” Jacques Steinberg, August 3, 2010.
The University of Iowa is hardly alone with this problem. More students will be arriving on campus than they estimated, and so lounges, apartment buildings and other “extra” spaces are being utilized.

It’s Monday, again! (Funny  how Monday keeps coming around, but we all act surprised anyway.) Here’s your news from Inside HigherEd: Articles on who speaks for the higher ed community; the limits of affirmation and the fate of competitive cheerleading, among other issues.

THE NEW CLASH OF RIGHTS: Federal judge upholds right of public university counseling program to kick out student who wouldn’t “affirm” gay clients. Legal climate remains unsettled.

PRIVATE PARTNERS: Colleges team with outside developers to finance and fast-track building projects, but ratings agencies say these ventures are a real part of a college’s debt picture.

IN WHOSE INTEREST? Why would a few minority organizations that don’t normally speak on higher ed issues suddenly issue statements backing for-profit sector? Could this be “astroturfing”?

A SEPARATION AND A RETURN: Catholic center will no longer nominate and pay for adjuncts to teach Catholic thought at Illinois. And for at least one more semester, controversial adjunct will be back.

COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING ADVOCATES UNDETERRED: Despite last week’s ruling that one institution could not count the activity as varsity for gender equity requirements, other colleges sponsoring the sport hope for its eventual legitimization.

This week, Inside HigherEd revisits a story they featured earlier (and we featured it here too), about a residence hall named after a notable alumni…and Klan member. The University of Texas has decided to change the name. Also, the line between academic freedom and separation of church and state; studying abroad may be good for the soul, and it’s definitely good for GPAs and what happens when you give away too much money.

REMOVING AN HONOR: Should campus buildings feature names of Klan leaders? Professor’s research spurs U. of Texas to change a name, but it’s not the only university that might face the question.

AN ERROR WITH CONSEQUENCES: Birmingham-Southern finds it was awarding millions more in extra aid for years — and tries to recover through layoffs and deep cuts.

ACADEMIC OUTCOMES OF STUDY ABROAD: As emphasis on assessing education abroad increases, one system-wide study finds it’s associated with higher GPAs and graduation rates upon return.

TEACHING OR PREACHING? Controversy at Illinois involves academic freedom, gay rights, adjunct rights and separation of church and state. Where some see issues as black and white, others see a lot of gray.

A MOVING GOALPOST: NCAA aims to adjust measure it uses to judge academic progress of teams’ athletes after concluding that it does not predict graduation as accurately as once thought.

Monday is welcoming you, even if you don’t feel similarly! Get into the week with news from Inside HigherEd. Among our stories: accelerated degrees at community colleges and the fate of Dubai-based operations.

THROWING IN THE TOWEL: Having attracted far fewer students than expected, Michigan State shuts down undergraduate programs in Dubai. Is the bubble bursting?

FOLLOW THE MONEY: Delta Cost Project’s newly released database will allow anyone to see where individual colleges get revenue and where it goes.

PICKING UP THE PACE: Many community colleges are embracing call to decrease time to degree completion by starting accelerated programs.

HOW TO TEST WRITING: College Board revamps tests used by many colleges to place students in or exempt them from composition courses. Will a new, different kind of essay win over the critics?

AVATARS TO TEACH THE TEACHERS: U. of Central Florida research team says it has built a virtual training ground that could improve teacher preparation and retention.

It’s a short work week in the U.S., as many of us had the luxury of a Monday off to recover from Independence Day celebrations. That’s why your news from Inside HigherEd is a day late…but just as informative!

PAMPERING OR PRIORITY? George Washington U. drops maid service for freshmen, drawing some student complaints. But other colleges cling to the practice, even in tough times.

NEW VENUE FOR ANTI-BIAS DEBATE: Supreme Court decision shifts the conflict over discrimination by religious student groups from the courts to the campuses.

ALL EYES ON INDIA: Proposed legislation would provide a clear legal framework for foreign institutions to offer degrees, but the terms might deter otherwise interested universities.

STEP TOO FAR ON TEXTBOOK COSTS? Bill passed by Pennsylvania Senate decried as attack on academic freedom for requiring professors to select “least expensive, educationally sound” option.

TEMPERING TUITION HIKES: Private colleges hold increases to 4.5 percent, falling again below pre-recession averages. But rates still exceed inflation.

This week at Inside HigherEd, catching plagiarism right from the start, the fraught issue of for-profit colleges, and NYU-Abu Dhabi starts classes.

‘BAD APPLES’ OR SOMETHING MORE? As setting of scrutiny of for-profit colleges shifts from executive branch to Congress, the rhetoric suggests a more systemic challenge to the fast-growing institutions.

‘THE WORLD’S HONORS COLLEGE?’ NYU Abu Dhabi admits a standout first class, as unprecedented experiment in student and faculty mobility gets underway.

FINDING APPLICANTS WHO PLAGIARIZE: Turnitin, dominant player in detection software, starts to sign up colleges to screen application essays. Some admissions officials welcome the help, but others are skeptical.

ADJUNCTS AND RETENTION RATES: Study finds freshmen who get more instruction from those off the tenure track are less likely than peers to return as sophomores, but the impact is different for full-time instructors.

STANDARDIZATION AND SAVINGS: Rio Salado College has managed to halve the amount it spends on textbooks without ditching the wood pulp.

Hello blog-readers! Less than one week before conference, so read up on the news so you’re informed on the goings-on in the higher ed world. This week, how young is too young for a college student; whether students are prepared for the jobs of the future, and educational equity.

TOO YOUNG FOR COLLEGE? A Florida community college faces a federal probe for refusing to admit a 13-year-old; other community colleges are less worried about the age issue.

A JOBS MISMATCH: Analysis suggests higher education is way behind at training students for the careers that will see growth in the next decade.

IRVINE RESPONDS TO HECKLING INCIDENT: University finds that disruptions of Israeli ambassador’s speech were planned by Muslim Student Union and moves to suspend it from being recognized organization.

DISARMING BIG-TIME SPORTS SPENDING: Among other suggestions, college sports watchdog group says NCAA should distribute some funds based on teams’ academic performance.

STRIVING FOR EDUCATIONAL EQUITY: Low-income students have gained little ground in access to competitive colleges, researchers find, arguing for new (and tried and true) approaches to easing stratification.

This week at Inside HigherEd, freshman orientation reading choices; the “do-what-we-say-not-what-we-do” problem with alcohol (see our post below); and lots of other news! Have a great week!

WHAT FRESHMEN WILL READ: Analysis questions why so many orientation programs are built around books about multiculturalism or the environment, but educators who organize these efforts say the critique confuses their choices.

STUDENTS AREN’T THE ONLY BOOZERS: At meeting of college health officials, one physician says that efforts to curb binge drinking are destined to fail as long as they focus only on campuses.

3-YEAR DEGREES? NOT SO FAST: As idea continues to attract praise, president of Association of American Colleges and Universities issues statement suggesting the concept needs scrutiny and skepticism.

FROM TABOO TO HOT TOPIC: American colleges increasingly embrace the use of international recruiting agents, paid on commission, although ethical debates persist.

LOST ARTS OF TEACHING: At gathering of community college educators, some worry that enthusiasm over technology has diminished the role of the professor.

This week at Inside HigherEd, summer classes are hot and European institutions are opening outposts in the United States…and more.

SCHOOL’S (NOT) OUT FOR SUMMER: As summer sessions start up, public colleges report more students signing up for classes.

DEBT HUNTERS: In cash-strapped times, universities employ aggressive tactics to collect unpaid parking tickets sometimes issued years before.

CALIFORNIA’S DEAL WITH KAPLAN: Agreement gives displaced community college students option of taking courses online with for-profit university; critics see state neglecting its role.

ENTERING THE U.S. MARKET: European business schools are planting their flags on American soil.

CREDIT FOR TEACHING: Sociology association will use peer review for innovative classroom ideas — to promote their use, and to encourage real consideration in tenure and promotions.

On Inside HigherEd today, Virginia Tech questions an Education Department finding that the university’s response was slow after fatal shootings; DNA is a freshmen orientation project and immigration conflicts with higher education.

VIRGINIA TECH, FAULTED, FIGHTS BACK: Education Department’s preliminary report on inquiry into fatal shootings says the university violated federal rules by responding too slowly, a finding it disputes.

THE DNA ASSIGNMENT: Many colleges send freshmen a book to read before orientation. This year, Berkeley is sending a cotton swab.

WHEN STUDENTS DROP THE F-BOMB: Should a college punish swearing? If professors experience rudeness and profanity from those they teach, are there better ways than sanctions to encourage civility?

SEETHING OVER SPORTS SUBSIDIES: Ohio U. faculty pushes administration to reduce amount of institutional operating funds that flow to intercollegiate athletics program.

FLARE-UP OVER IMMIGRATION: Furor over Kennesaw State senior shows how divisive the issue remains — and how students and colleges alike can be caught in the crossfire.